Abstract: A pourable liquid composition comprising water, a water soluble or water swellable organic polymer, comprising 25 to 90 mole % monomer or monomers selected from the group consisting of C8-C30 alkyl ethoxylated (meth)acrylates, C8-C30 alkyl ethoxylated (meth)acrylamides, C8-C30 alkyl (meth)allyl ethers and C8-C30 alkyl ethoxylated (meth)allyl ethers, an organic water miscible liquid selected from the group consisting of C1-5 alcohols, C3-5 ketones, C2-5 esters and C2-5 ethers, characterized in that the organic polymer is present as discrete particles of average diameter size of below 10 microns. A process of imparting water resistance to the components of a cable said process by first contacting one or more of said components of a cable with said pourable liquid composition, and then assembling the components to form the cable. The composition is particularly suitable for protecting optical fibers within a fiber optic cable against the ingress of water.

Abstract: Particles have a hydrophilic core, for instance including an enzyme and a polymer, surrounded by a shell formed by interfacial condensation polymerisation in the presence of a polymeric stabiliser. Preferably the polymeric stabiliser is a random copolymer which will concentrate at the interface between oil and water and association by ionic interaction, condensation or otherwise is achieved between the stabiliser and one of the reactants before reaction with the other reactant. Dispersions of aqueous capsules in an aqueous medium are also disclosed.